‘JUST RIGHT’ OCD

What is ‘Just Right’ OCD?

Just Right OCD is a subtype of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder where individuals experience an intense need for things to feel “exactly right” or “perfect.” This differs from other forms of OCD in several key ways:

Key Characteristics:

  1. The driving force is often a feeling or sensation rather than a specific fear. People with Just Right OCD are seeking a specific feeling of completeness or rightness, rather than trying to prevent a specific negative outcome.
  2. Common manifestations include:
  • Needing to perform actions until they feel “just right”
  • Repeatedly adjusting objects until they’re in the perfect position
  • Rereading or rewriting text until it feels correct
  • Touching or tapping things in a specific way
  • Arranging items in precise patterns or symmetry
  • Repeating routine activities until they feel right

The Experience:

  • Unlike contamination OCD or harm OCD, there may not be a clear feared consequence
  • The discomfort comes from things feeling “not right” or “incomplete”
  • People often describe it as an intense feeling of internal tension or discomfort until things are “just so”
  • The compulsions are often aimed at achieving a sense of completeness rather than preventing danger

Impact on Daily Life:

  • Can significantly slow down daily activities
  • May interfere with work, school, or relationships
  • Can lead to frustration and emotional exhaustion
  • May cause difficulties completing tasks due to the need for perfection

Important Distinctions:

  • Different from perfectionism, though they can co-exist
  • Not the same as being detail-oriented or organized
  • A clinical condition that causes significant distress and impairment

If someone is experiencing symptoms of Just Right OCD, it’s important to seek help from a mental health professional who specializes in OCD treatment. The condition is treatable, and many people learn to manage their symptoms effectively with proper support and intervention.

‘Just Right’ OCD Resources

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Just Right OCD: A Journey Through Triggers and Treatment

Living with OCD often involves specific triggers that require targeted therapy approaches. Through our journey with my son, we’ve identified several key triggers and developed effective therapeutic strategies to address them. Here’s what we’ve learned along the way.

Sharp Objects

When confronted with sharp objects, my son felt compelled to repeatedly examine them from every angle. His psychologist confirmed this was a compulsion without underlying intentions. Our solution combined practical safety measures (child locks on knife drawers) with exposure therapy, having him look at partial views of knives for 2-5 minutes daily. We also incorporated this into his behavioral plan.

Incomplete Views of People

One breakthrough came when my son explained that OCD demanded he see things in their entirety. Partial views, particularly during video calls, caused significant distress. Our therapy involved practicing with partial views – like seeing just a head around a doorway – for set periods, followed by complete views. This helped him learn to manage the associated discomfort.

Organization and Cleaning Compulsions

His need for “correct” organization led to distress and destructive behaviors when items weren’t placed “properly.” Treatment focused on deliberately placing items in “wrong” places and leaving tasks partially complete, helping him build tolerance for imperfection.

Drawer Checking

Early in our journey, we witnessed a powerful OCD moment when he became fixated on checking every drawer in my roll-top desk. Therapy involved systematic exposure, practicing not looking in doors and drawers throughout buildings, and working with partially open drawers at home.

Perfectionist Drawing

For years, my son would compulsively draw the same house in exactly the same way, becoming aggressive if any element was incomplete or different. Therapy involved sitting with incomplete versions of the drawing for varying periods, gradually building tolerance for imperfection.

Personal Grooming Fixations

Uneven fingernails and toenails caused such distress that he would even attempt to fix strangers’ nails. Treatment included exposure therapy with the therapist’s uneven nails and removing access to nail clippers.

Time and Counting Rituals

His OCD manifested in repeated time-checking and specific number sequences. We implemented a “Talking Ticket” system at school, allowing a limited number of time-related questions daily, gradually reducing them from 3 to 1. This successful approach was then applied at home.

Mathematical Compulsions

Math-related obsessions led to repeated mental calculations and potential manic states. Treatment involved deliberately working with incorrect math problems and sitting with the resulting discomfort.

These experiences represent just a portion of our ongoing journey with OCD. While some triggers may resurface during difficult periods, the strategies we’ve developed continue to prove effective in managing them.

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